3 Playful Ways Parents Can Mentor Their Kids
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In our busy lives, we see play as activities to occupy kids, silly pastimes, or a time filler until the next event.
But play has a purpose, and once we see that as parents, we can use it to build upon our parenting foundation and have fun simultaneously!
FAMILY BONDING
Play allows us to interact, understand, and learn to relate as a family.
Kids see their parents enjoying themselves, laughing, and relaxing. They watch and imitate us. They see that life is not all about work or making money; leisure time is also needed.
Building a city with blocks together can foster conversations about how cities and streets work. It can be a collaborative activity as you decide where to put the supermarket, grandma’s house, and the zoo.
Sharing a hobby helps kids feel more inclusive in the family culture and can be a time to share stories from childhood and culture with your kids.
A spirit of invention can be enhanced through play. Create new games or stories.
2. COACHING BEHAVIORS
Kids learn through play, and we, as parents, can use this opportunity to enjoy teaching lessons and skills!
For young children, reading books and naming objects helps them learn language and body language.
Books can later be great tools for teaching kids about behavior and choices and spark conversations for mentoring opportunities.
Kids love to mimic what adults do through imaginative play, such as being a waiter, doctor, or scientist. A fun interaction may teach a child how the exchange of money works or have compassion for a sick patient. This is fun practice for when they are in the real world.
Enhance this play into the real world by taking field trips to factories or touring venues behind the scenes.
Cooking together teaches kids life skills. Make a mess! Clean up together! Kids love to do adult things like sweep or wash dishes.
3. NAVIGATING WINS AND LOSSES
Life is full of situations in which we can learn and grow. We can win or lose. Sometimes, we get things right, and other times, we fail. Discuss emotions and the ways we manage them and interact with others.
Playing games helps kids feel the emotions of success and failure, winning or losing, doing it right, or making mistakes. How do they react? How do they treat and respect others in these situations?
Learning to strategize and approach a problem differently as needed is a valuable life skill. To work as a team, do a corn maze. Make scavenger hunts for each other. Play I Spy. Do a jigsaw puzzle.
Taking turns, following directions, and having patience are more lessons kids learn through gameplay.
Parenting today is hard! We are busier and more distracted than ever!
However, we can learn to see our time with our kids as a gift, and teaching skills through play is a better tool than a lecture, to-do list, or reprimand.
We can not always rely on play, and we need to lecture and reprimand, but if we can think ahead and add more lessons through play, the whole family benefits and enjoys closer, more respectful relationships.
Here are more tips and fun for your family…
12+ Ways Sticky Notes Improve Parenting
10 Ways to Strengthen the Bonds with Your Kids and Why It Matters
Fun Ways to Teach Manners and Gratitude to Your Kids
Create a Kid-Friendly Happy Hour
Do you need to get on the same page as a family? What parenting worries keep you up at night? How will you talk with your kids about sex? Create a parenting plan, and don’t let your best parenting fall through the cracks! Click the photo below, get the book, and BEGIN! You will be glad you did!
Parenting is not about PERFECTION! It’s about the POWER in your PLAN!
